COYOTES ACQUIRE CENTER JEFF TAFFE

GLENDALE, ARIZONA -- Phoenix Coyotes Executive Vice President and General Manager Michael Barnett announced today that the Coyotes have acquired center Jeff Taffe from the New York Rangers in exchange for left wing Martin Sonnenberg. Immediately following the trade, Taffe was assigned to the San Antonio Rampage, the Coyotes' top minor league affiliate in the American Hockey League (AHL).

The 24-year-old Taffe rejoins the Coyotes organization after having been traded to the Rangers by the Coyotes earlier in the season in exchange for center Jamie Lundmark on Oct. 18, 2005. This season, Taffe has played in four NHL games, two with the Coyotes and two with the Rangers. The 6-foot-3, 201-pound forward has played the majority of the 2005-06 season with Hartford (AHL), recording 6-16-22 and 34 penalty minutes (PIM) in 36 games.

Taffe previously collected 11-11-22 and 24 PIM in 81 games over parts of three seasons (2002-03, 2003-04 and 2005-06) with Phoenix. In his NHL career with Phoenix and New York, Taffe has combined for 11-11-22 and 24 PIM in 83 games.

In 2003-04, the Hastings, Minnesota native led all Coyotes rookies in scoring with 8-10-18 and finished tied for sixth among all NHL rookies in power play goals with five. The Coyotes originally acquired Taffe from St. Louis along with Ladislav Nagy, Michal Handzus and a first round choice in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft in exchange for Keith Tkachuk on Mar. 13, 2001. Taffe was originally drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the 1st round (30th overall) of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft.

Sonnenberg, 28, played in 41 games with San Antonio this season, registering 10-7-17 and 34 PIM. He joined the Coyotes organization on Sept. 2, 2004 when he signed as a free agent. He did not play any NHL games with the Coyotes. Last season, Sonnenberg played in 65 games with the Utah Grizzlies (AHL) and collected 13-13-26 and 94 PIM. In his NHL career, split between Pittsburgh and Calgary over parts of three seasons, the Wetaskiwin, Alberta native recorded 2-3-5 and 21 PIM in 63 career games. Sonnenberg was never drafted by an NHL team.

The Coyotes return to the ice tonight to face the Minnesota Wild at the Xcel Energy Center. The game will be played at 6:00 p.m. Arizona time and will be broadcast on OLN (Outdoor Life Network) and KDUS (1060-AM).